that golden color is usually a sign of the fluid having gotten to hot, very common when pulling a trailer up a long grade in hot weather. I think the back flush is the way to go at 80 or 90 bucks you sure save a messy job (sit in a nice lounge at the lube shop and read the latest car rags) .But I do like the idea of a back flush then a filter change,a hundred buck spent for precautionary maintence sure beats the high cost of a rebuild.....